


Bofur's Hat

by bofurrific



Series: Hobbit Drabbles [52]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, also WHAT ARE TIMELINES, bifur's dad makes an appearance, he's a pretty chill dude, seriously their ages are fucked up sorry, that post made me sad, this is sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-03
Updated: 2013-02-03
Packaged: 2017-11-28 01:03:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/668490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bofurrific/pseuds/bofurrific
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by this post here http://unexpectedmoose.tumblr.com/post/42116540670/bofurrific-unexpectedmoose-bofurrific.</p><p>Bofur gets his hat from his father. It's the only thing to come back when his dad goes off to the battle at azanulbizar.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bofur's Hat

The knock on the door comes late. Bofur and Bombur are meant to be in bed, but when they hear their uncle's voice they rush from to their door and peek around the corner, wondering if their father is with him.

Their uncle is alone. He looks older than Bofur remembers, sagging and sad and his eyes are dark above his beard. Their mother sits at the table and shakes her head; she knows already what her boys are about to learn.

Their uncle hands a hat to their mother, a floppy-eared thing that Bofur last saw atop their father's head as he waved them goodbye and set up into the east to go to war.

Bofur forgets that he's supposed to be in bed, forgets that he is the older brother and should be strong for Bombur, forgets that he has been the man of the house while his father was away, was the man of the house forever.

"NO!" The word rips from his chest and he throws the door back, rushes past Bombur and his uncle and doesn't hear the surprised exclamations from them or his mother; he knows nothing but the hat in his mother's hands that should be on his father's head, and all that implies.

Bombur doesn't know what's going on. He clutches his mother's arm and asks why she's crying, why Bofur's crying, and starts to cry himself because everyone is upset around him and no one will tell him why, or what da's hat is doing home without da. And their mother lets go of the hat she's been weeping into to lift her youngest into her lap and cradle him, cry softly into his ginger hair and stroke the tears from his chubby cheeks.

Bofur's uncle takes him by the arm, their father's hat tucked under the other, and pulls him outside, tugs him hard into his chest when he struggles away and holds him there until the shoving hands turn to claws, clinging to his uncle's tunic and the wail fighting to get free escapes him in a rush of breath. His uncle holds him until the sobs start to taper off, and then he kneels, firmly rubs the tears from Bofur's cheeks and plants the hat on his head.

"You're your da's little man, Bofur." He says gruffly, his own voice choked although he had dried his tears on the battlefield and the long walk home alone. "Make him proud, boy." And it's the best he can offer, no good with words, but it's enough for now because Bofur swipes a hand across his red eyes and nods, sniffs and takes a deep breath and nods again, more resolutely.

"I will." Bofur promises, and there is no waver in his voice, and he looks his uncle in the eye with a determination that makes him ache because Bofur is young and his father was young, and he gets to go home to his son and wife and hold them tight while his younger brother is dead in the valley of Azanulbizar. But he drops a kiss to Bofur's head and goes on his way.

Bofur gives himself another moment, a shaky breath to steady himself. He touches the hat on his head and blinks away the tears that come unbidden.

"I'll make you proud, Da." He whispers fiercely. "And I'll take good care of them. I promise." And he touches the hat on his head, gives a nod to himself and to his father, and makes sure his eyes are dry and his breathing even before going back in to put his family back together.


End file.
